The departments involved in the propaganda war, Number 10, the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office and the MoD, have ruled out UK involvement in
covert news campaigns.

The Pentagon is reported to be considering tasking its new Office of
Strategic Influence, which is being advised by Washington PR firm The
Rendon Group, with providing news releases, possibly false and from
outside sources to conceal their origin, to the global media.

A spokeswoman for Number 10, which along with the FCO liaises with US
government PROs through the Coalition Information Centre, said: 'I'm not
allowed to lie and am bound by the Government Information Service code
of conduct on that subject.'

An MoD spokesman said the department would never be involved in
deceptive PR tactics: 'We correct misinformation. We do not mislead the
media.'